Disposable container

ABSTRACT

A pillow or sachet disposable dispenser in which a container has a relatively rigid flexible spine adhered to an inside surface of one of the flexible sheet that form the container with a protrusion extending through an aperture in the sheet. The protrusion has a line of weakness that will rupture when flexed providing an opening through which the material in the container can be expelled.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to disposable containers known as pillow or sachet containers.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Improvements in dispenser packages are shown in U.S. patents to Redmond, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,986,640 and 4,493,574 and 4,611,715 and 5,494,192. In particular in U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,715 a stiff flat sheet defines one side of a dispenser package and a product containing-pouch that includes a pair of laterally spaced pockets containing flowable product defines another side. The stiff flat sheet has a protrusion in the shape of an elongated pyramid. The stiff flat sheet has a fault line that extends all the way across including across the elongated pyramid. When the package is bent the fault line ruptures across the stiff flat sheet. By further bending and squeezing the pockets, the flowable material in the pockets is expelled out of the fault line opening and/or out of the protrusion opening (as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,574).

[0003] The structure of and the problem presented in dispensing flowable product from a pillow or sachet is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,192.

[0004] The present invention is an improvement in the design of a dispensing package in which conventional pillow or sachet packages are equipped with a dispensing channel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In one aspect the invention comprises a pillow or sachet container made of first and second flexible sheets joined at their periphery to define a cavity for containing flowable material to be dispensed. Adhered to the inside surface of one of the sheets is a spine made of a more rigid but flexible material that has a protrusion in it. The protrusion extends outwardly through an aperture in the first sheet and it has a line of weakness across it. In use the container is flexed generally about the line of weakness so that it fractures leaving open the portion of the protrusion on each side of the line of weakness that then define an opening through which the flowable material can be expelled from the container.

[0006] In a further aspect the protrusion is symmetrical about a longitudinal dimension of the container.

[0007] In a further aspect the protrusion is symmetrical about a lateral dimension of the container; and in a still further aspect the protrusion is symmetrical about both a longitudinal and a lateral dimension of the container.

[0008] In a further aspect the protrusion begins at opposed distal points along the longitudinal dimension and it gradually rises to a point of meeting at a highest point. The line of weakness extends across the protrusion at the highest point.

[0009] In a further aspect the line of weakness is limited to traversing the protrusion.

[0010] In a further aspect the protrusion is an elongated pyramid with the line of weakness traversing laterally it at its peak,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention.

[0012]FIG. 2 is a sectional view through A-A as seen in FIG. 1.

[0013]FIGS. 3a and 3 b show progressively the flexing of the container to expel its contents.

[0014]FIGS. 4a through 4 d show alternative configurations of the spine element of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Referring to FIGS. 1-3 b the present invention comprises a pillow package 10 (also called a sachet package) having flexible sides 12 and 14 which are sealed together around their periphery 16 and are formed in a pillow shape to define an interior space 18 that is filled with flowable material to be dispensed. One of the flexible sides 12 is formed with an aperture 20, which in this embodiment is diamond shaped, generally centrally located in the side 12. A third element, a spine 22 is made of relatively rigid flexible material. The spine 22 has a flat base portion 24 and a protrusion portion 26. The protrusion portion 26 is hollow inside it so as to facilitate flow of the material as will be understood. The flat base portion 24 of the spine 22 has a first surface 28 and a second surface 30 The protrusion portion 26 is in the shape of an elongated pyramid commencing from opposite distal points defining converging channels 32 and 34 that rise away from the second surface 30 from their distal ends 36 and 38 respectively and meet centrally at 40. A line of weakness 42 extends across the protrusion portion 26 at the highest point where the converging channels 32 and 34 meet and where the line of weakness 42 crosses. In the preferred embodiment the line of weakness 42 does not extend beyond the protrusion portion 26 laterally across the flat base portion 24, thereby leaving the flat base portion 24 flexible.

[0016] When assembled the spine 22 is inside the package, adhered to an inner surface 44 of the flexible side 12, positioned so that the protrusion portion 26 extends through the aperture 20. The aperture 20 is a diamond shape to match the shape of the protrusion portion 26 where it joins the base portion 24. The spine 22 can be adhered by any suitable adhesive material that is compatible with the use of the package.

[0017] The package 10 is made by forming the sides 12 and 14 with side 12 having the aperture 20 cut into it. Then the spine 22 is adhered to the inner surface 44 of the side 12 and the sides 12 and 14 are joined around their periphery. Of course in the process of making the package, at a desired point, the flowable material is inserted between the sides 12 and 14 to effect filling the package with the flowable material.

[0018] The protrusion portion 26 as shown has an elongated pyramid shape. Other shapes can be selected that rise from opposed distal points meeting at a highest point with the line of weakness extending across the protrusion at the highest point. A shape for the protrusion is preferably symmetrical about the longitudinal dimension of the container. Another preferred shape is symmetrical about the lateral dimension of the container; and a still further preferred shape is symmetrical about both the longitudinal and the lateral dimension of the container. Further the protrusion should be configured so that the line of weakness cross it transversely to the longitudinal dimension of the container and the protrusion is symmetrical on each side of the line of weakness so that when the container is flexed to rupture the line of weakness a flow channel is provided on each side leading to an opening between them.

[0019]FIGS. 4a-4 d show alternative shapes for the spine 22, in particular for the base portion 24 and for the protrusion portion 26. The outline of the container 10 is shown in dash lines to provide a sense of the relative size of the various spine shapes.

[0020] In use the flowable material inside the package 10 is dispensed as shown in FIG. 5. Dispensing is accomplished by bending the package 10 as shown by the arrows A and B. With the bending, the line of weakness 44 will fracture establishing openings 46 and 48 at the highest point of the elongated pyramid 30,and as the package is further bent and compressed the flowable material inside will by dispensed through the openings.

[0021] It can be appreciated the line of weakness 44 can be formed by a variety of means including for example by scribing or by molding the line of weakness into the spine when it is made.

[0022] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments shown and described herein and that variations may be made that are within the scope of the accompanying claims and equivalents thereto without departing from the principles of the invention.

[0023] Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated herein, it is recognized that modifications and variations may readily occur to those skilled in the art, and consequently it is intended that the claims be interpreted to cover such modifications and equivalents. 

1. A disposable dispenser comprising; a container having a sealed perimeter forming a cavity for holding a flowable material; said container being made of a first and second sheet of flexible material the first and second sheets being joined and sealed around their periphery and defining a longitudinal dimension and a lateral dimension; the first of said sheets having an aperture therein; a spine portion made of relatively rigid flexible material having a protrusion molded into it the protrusion having a line of weakness extending laterally across it but limited to the protrusion; the spine portion having an elongated dimension and being adhered to an inside surface of the first sheet with the protrusion extending through the aperture.
 2. The disposable dispenser of claim 1 wherein the protrusion is symmetrical about the longitudinal dimension of the container.
 3. The disposable container of claim 2 wherein the protrusion begins at opposite distal ends along the longitudinal dimension and gradually rises to meet at a highest point and the line of weakness extends laterally across the highest point thereby defining opposite dispensing channels upon flexing the container to split the line of weakness
 4. A disposable dispenser comprising; a container having a sealed perimeter forming a cavity for holding a flowable material; said container being made of a first and second sheet of flexible material the first and second sheets being joined and sealed around their periphery; the first of said sheets having an aperture therein; a spine portion made of relatively rigid material having a protrusion molded into it, the protrusion being formed as a pair of converging pyramidal shapes beginning at distal ends and converging to a highest point at which the join and the protrusion having a line of weakness extending laterally across it at the highest point. 